I have a friend who has been one of my best friends since, well let's see.... forever!!! Her great grandmother and my grandmother were best friends so we have been buds since the beginning of time! She has always been able to convince me to do many things. This wasn't always smart or safe in high school, but we did have fun!!! Her 40th birthday was in March and she asked me to run in the Disney 5K with her to celebrate. I jumped on it as I need motivation to lose some weight, I would get to go to Disney, and best of all, I would get to spend some "girl" time with my buddy! I signed up. I used to do boot camp where they kicked my tail so I thought 3.1 miles would be pretty easy. You have to do a mile in 16 minutes. That's the rules. I kept telling myself, "Self, this is no big deal. You can do that easily!" So, I put off training thinking surely this wouldn't require a lot!
I was wrong.
Don't ever try this.
3.1 miles is longer than you think when you are timed.
About 2 weeks out, I thought I better get going. I was all clever and decided to download 16 minutes of music to my iPod and take off for one mile. This would be a breeze!
I was wrong.
Not a breeze.
More like me wheezing like a goat (do goats wheeze?) and my thighs were on fire! I did it, but I wasn't happy about it.
Two nights later, I add more music and set off for a mile and a half. Better, but jeez...why did I think this would be easy?!?
Two nights later. More music and two miles. After the first mile, I kind of got in a groove and didn't think I was going to die right there on the concrete. Here is my method. I know it is very official and you will all want to run out and try it. I walk fast to the first song and then jog on the chorus of every other song after that! Very scientific. I did 2 miles in 28 minutes! As I used my inhaler after the walk/jog, I was feeling pretty proud of myself once my thighs quite twitching! I also realized that I really needed new shoes. Uggghhhh.... I am a procrastinator extraordinaire!
I adored my old New Balance. Best shoes I had ever had. Loved them so I marched down to get another pair. Guess what? That didn't carry my kind any more. They were old, so they recommended the newer ones. I went for it. I even let them throw my old ones away (this is the new cleaning/purging me!). I got home that night and decided I was so good at this that I was going for it and going to walk the whole thing since the race was in four days!
When did I lose my mind????
That night, I had my music downloaded. Songs like "Tik Tok, Don't Stop" and "Almost There". Motivational... that's me!! I took off and was moving. As I round mile 3, I feel my heels hurting. That's what I get for buying new shoes, but did I let a little pain stop me? Oh no, I did not!! I finished the whole thing in about 32 minutes!!!!! Go me!!!! I was not going to picked up by the sweepers!!!!
Have I mentioned the sweepers? It appears that if you don't finish up your each mile in a 16 minute time frame there are golf carts with people who swoop you up and carry you to the finish line so you don't officially finish the race. Well, that wasn't going to happen to me! No sirree! I, for some reason, was obsessed with not getting picked up by the sweepers!
As I took off my shoes I discovered MONSTER blisters on my heels. Nice. I guess I should have seen that coming. Well, I knew I could do it so I gave myself a break before the race. I deserved it! I had been really going for it!! :-) This is how it all works out in my mind!
I left on Friday morning and headed down to Florida to meet up with Chris and some of her friends from Alabama. I have left my child with my mother-in-law and husband. This is the first time that I have ever been away from her for more than one night. She is in excellent hands, but I have to say, that I was already missing my child! I had books downloaded on my iPod and off I went.
After a LOT of traffic and almost wetting myself because I was stuck in Orlando traffic and had to go to the bathroom, I made it to the ESPN Zone to meet the girls and pick up my packet. I was so proud to see my name on my bib!
We all went to eat at the Olive Garden that night and checked into our condo. We hit the hay early since we had to get up at 5:00 to go to the race. I don't really know if I slept a lot. I was nervous and excited!
We arrived with about 2,500 other and got in line. Now, I had been averaging an 11 minute mile so I was supposed to get in with that group. Well, the masses were already in line and there was not a whole lot of squeezing through so we were stuck in the back with the walkers and baby strollers. Oh well, I knew I could at least beat the strollers!!
The theme was the Princess and the Frog. I was so excited because I love this movie and they gave us a t-shirt with it on it. I knew one special 4 year old would claim it quickly. It was all exciting with music and then the start took off with fireworks! I did a thumbs up picture for Jemma because this is her little cute thing she does!
When you are in the back with the masses, it is hard to get your groove going because you have to weave and bob around everyone. Oh well, I was running by people so I knew I was probably safe from the sweepers. We ran all through Epcot. It was neat since I had never been there. There are characters scattered throughout and you could have your picture made. I could not figure out how people were stopping! Didn't they know they didn't have time to do this? The sweepers were coming! The sweepers were coming! As I passed people meandering, I started to get the picture. There were no sweepers. They save the big guns for the 1/2 marathon on the next day. After this realization hit, I decided to have fun with it and had my picture made with Sleeping Beauty and took pictures along the way.
Chris and I crossed the finish line together at 53 minutes. Yes, this is past my 16 minute a mile deadline, but oh my friends, it really wasn't! I had one minute left on my iPod music! We didn't start until much later because of the masses! Ha!!! I had done it!!!!!
We spent that day and the next at the Magic KIngdom and Epcot. I missed Jemma and Tom so much because this was a place for families and little girls were everywhere all dolled up, but I will say, it was so much fun to do all the adult things!! We rode all the roller coasters that we wanted and I got to do the Tower of Terror! We had such a good time!
Downtown Disney
Test Track - this one is for you BHW
Ole!
We all wore Southern Belle shirts. Mine read "Carolina girls make the best mamas"
Chris's birthday dinner at the Sci-fi restaurant
Our light up drinks!
Happy Birthday!!!!
I am actually motivated to do the 1/2 marathon. We received a "medal" that was the hard rubber shaped like a crown. Don't get me wrong, I am VERY proud of my medal, but the 1/2 marathoners got a gold crown with sparklies on it. I know that isn't a great reason to run. There is the health thing and the weight loss thing, but come on... I really want the sparkly medal! Unfortunately, it seems I have developed plantar fasciitis. If I can get over this, I may just start training... early!! Anyone want to join me? :-)
